


Let me catch my breath

by yougottalivetoseeit



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, First Meetings, M/M, lifeguard AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-25
Updated: 2014-12-25
Packaged: 2018-03-03 10:35:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2847869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yougottalivetoseeit/pseuds/yougottalivetoseeit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>As if reading his mind, his phone chimes with the pre-set alarm, notifying the end of his shift and the start of Jehan’s. Grantaire started absentmindedly packing up his things, ready to evacuate and head for the bars as soon as Jehan came around, and maybe get a shot of vodka or two just enough to make sure he doesn’t drown tomorrow-</i> </p><p>  <i>“Help!!”</i></p><p>
  <i>-like that guy over there just now. </i>
</p><p>Grantaire works a summer job at the beach as a lifeguard.<br/>Enjolras doesn't know how to swim.</p><p>They meet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Let me catch my breath

**Author's Note:**

  * For [The_Freedom_Roadblocks](https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Freedom_Roadblocks/gifts).



> I'm making this multichaptered because it wasn't supposed to be this long but it got away from me, I'm a horrible person I know I'm sorry D: Think of it as a prolonged Christmas present! *hides face in shame*
> 
> The actual prompt:  
> "Modern AU
> 
> Beach setting. Life saver Grantaire. Angst (all of the angst >:D ) and fluff.
> 
> Preferably no character death or explicit smut."
> 
> (Also you asked for angst I promise it's coming your way I really hope turned out (is turning out?) the way you wanted it to)

Grantaire hates his job.

Well, no. He doesn’t exactly hate his job per se; he actually likes his job a lot. Usually.

Today is just not one of those days.

Usually, he loves nothing more than spending time at the beach – something that he loves with his life and heart – but the summer season can get to a guy who has to sit in a giant chair only to jump off every time someone shouts like they’re dying. Something that happens far too often for his tastes.

He knows, rationally, that it’s the right way to do things, that you’re better off safe than sorry and having someone – well, having something happen in his watch, but after the two hundredth-or-so (he lost count somewhere in the eighties) kid who’s not actually drowning when it isn’t even noon yet, he’s starting to feel the summer vacation season full-on. And the dawning realization that maybe he shouldn’t have signed up for the lifeguard job.

Curse Jehan for being so goddamned convincing.

As if reading his mind, his phone chimes with the pre-set alarm, notifying the end of his shift and the start of Jehan’s. Grantaire started absentmindedly packing up his things, ready to evacuate and head for the bars as soon as Jehan came around, and maybe get a shot of vodka or two just enough to make sure he doesn’t drown tomorrow-

“Help!!”

-like that guy over there just now. 

Grantaire doesn’t even think, he’s on autopilot as he jumps off his chair, running toward the beach where the cry for help was just issued.

The (soon-won’t-be) drowning person is pretty easy to spot – there’s a golden halo of hair around the persistent splashing right where the shallow waters end and the deep side begins. The desperate cry for help has attracted a few people to turn his way, and by the time Grantaire swims effortlessly past the borderline of the waters, Grantaire is sort of surprised that he hasn’t exhausted himself yet.

He grabs onto the thrashing young man, trying to hold his arms down so that he could support him, but man, he’s stronger than he looks and this is hard.

“Hey- hey. Calm down, I’ve got you, you’re fine. Just-”

And just like that, Grantaire is promptly pushed underwater.

He doesn’t get any sort of warning before he’s submerged, but at least he still has the semblance of mind to remember to not breathe – he didn’t get to inhale properly, so holding his breath is getting a bit hard, and is this guy seriously pinning him down to get extra buoyancy, that doesn’t even work that way – 

Grantaire barely manages to throw the guy in the general direction of the shallow end when the edges of his vision start to flash. He hurriedly surfaces, gulping in air, and turns toward the guy just in case he’s still struggling – 

And promptly loses all the breath he’d just taken in.

This guy is gorgeous. And not just gorgeous, he could have literally dropped from the heavens with the blessing of God that he doesn’t even believe in, but this guy is almost on the way to making him into a believer just by existing. Nobody in the real world is that gorgeous, things just don’t work that way.

A vague part of his mind is registering that this angel, no, Greek god, has just sort of stumbled into his arms and is talking to him, and he promptly shakes his head to regain proper functional thinking, and what the hell is he even saying-

“Oh my god I’m so sorry are you hurt I didn’t mean to push you down I just sort of lose control whenever I’m in the water I’m just so afraid of it please why aren’t you responding Courf he’s not responding is something wrong-”

“Hey, hey.” Grantaire cuts into the middle of his sentence, and the way he shuts his mouth with an audible click shouldn’t be so adorable and Grantaire is screwed, he is so, very screwed. “I’m fine, it’s practically my job to drown in place of you people if the need arises.” He only receives a worried frown at that. “I’m joking, but I’m really fine. So, let me get you to shore safely?”

“Ah, you don’t have to.” A voice says next to him, and he looks up and whoa, did a group of models come over or something, because this guy is pretty gorgeous too. Not as much as Greek god, though, and he feels a little sting of jealousy at the fact that of course Greek god has a gorgeous companion.

He manages to crack a smile, though. “Don’t bother, I’m the lifeguard, I should be doing my duties if I want to get paid, eh?”

The limp form of Greek god tenses up at that, and he looks down in worry and pretends to be unaffected by his sheer beauty, when he starts talking.

“You shouldn’t be worrying about getting paid just because you’re leaving me within the capable of hands of someone who can most definitely swim, Mister-” Greek god checks his nametag – “-Grantaire.” And oh, the sound of his name on that beautiful creature’s lips is so brilliant, he wants to hear it forever.

“Ah, yes. But I wouldn’t know if your friend is as capable as you assume him to be, would I? Besides, too many people who are desperate even for underpaid jobs like this one, I should be staying in safe territory.” Grantaire chuckles, adjusting his grip on the man.

Greek god isn’t so easily convinced. “But I wasn’t even in an emergency, I’d just lost my footing and was taken aback is all.” Brunette model dude lets out a snigger at that, and Greek god glares at him. Even that’s hot. Grantaire is hopelessly gone. “And if I say I’m alright, you shouldn’t be going out of your way to take care of me, especially if you’re not even getting your proper share of the pay for all the hard work, and your boss isn’t legally allowed to fire you without proper reason which this does not count as, especially if he’s an underpaying imbecile of an employer and-”

“Enjolras,” Another guy appears next to the brunette model dude, this one’s in glasses and equally hot, if not in a different way. He has an expression on his face that’s part exasperation and part worried frown and Grantaire doesn’t know how that works but it somehow does. Also he thinks he’s just learned the Greek god’s name, by the way he lights up immediately. 

Maybe spending his entire summer at the beach wasn’t such a good idea for his self esteem. Or his sanity. Grantaire vaguely wonders if they’re polygamous and wouldn’t mind a fourth, less-hot addition to their gorgeous threesome. Since he probably wouldn’t be able to convince Greek god to choose him in favor of them either.

Guy in glasses starts talking again, and Grantaire struggles to not let his thoughts stray. He is supposed to be rescuing someone. “Enjolras, I’m sure he appreciates the speech, but I think you really should let him take care of you. Something might be actually bad, and you almost had a panic attack there. No use wasting time and energy waiting here, you know? He’s probably exhausted from doing his job all day.”

Grantaire is slightly miffed at the way Glasses talks over him like he’s not there, but Glasses is worried about the poor lifeguard, and they seem to be decent people, so he doesn’t give it too much thought. It also helps that he’s right.

“So, let me bring you to first aid and just run a couple of vitals, Apollo.”

“I’m fi-”

“We know.” Grantaire, Brunette model dude, and Glasses all say in unison, and they meet eyes before bursting into laughter and carrying Greek god – Enjolras – to first aid.

Once they’re there, he learns that Brunette model dude is named Courfeyrac and Glasses is Combeferre. Courfeyrac works as a lawyer (Grantaire jokes that he might be able to help him out some when the evil boss inevitably fires him) and Combeferre is a nurse, because, quote, “Fuck gender stereotypes.” Grantaire cracks a grin at that. They tell him that they’re childhood friends who’ve known each other since forever, and that they’re on vacation to celebrate something that went well in their collective job thing. Apparently, Greek god – Enjolras – sucks at swimming and has an inexplicable fear of water, which he thought was stupid (it sort of is but then it sort of isn’t) and wanted to get over it, and had ventured into the water oh-so-bravely to get over his phobia.

And apparently – Grantaire barely repressed a snort at that – it hadn’t ended so well.

“You know, Apollo, smart as you sound, one would think that you’d know that’s heads-on approach isn’t usually the best way to get over irrational fears of things.”

“Well, now I- why do you call me that?”

“Call you what?”

Enjolras let out an exasperated sigh at that. “You know what.“

Grantaire could vaguely register Combeferre and Courfeyrac sniggering behind Enjolras, but decided to ignore that and shot Enjolras a wink. “I just happen to be a fan of mythology. Don’t change the subject, are you prone to doing stupid things like this one in your everyday life?”

Courfeyrac visibly lights up at that. “Oh, you have no idea.”

He then goes on to tell embarrassing stories about the three of them (but mostly Enjolras and somehow he’s slightly glad about that because Greek god or not, he’s cute when he’s blushing) and Grantaire can’t help but to laugh along. When they’re finished, it’s quite a later hour than when he was supposed to go home, almost nearing the end of Jehan’s shift. Somehow, he can’t bring himself to complain. He checks his watch, and Apollo’s eyes zoom into his wrist in interest.

“What’s that?”

Grantaire blinks. “A watch?” He can hear Courfeyrac give a snort.

Enjolras only glares slightly at Courfeyrac. “Well, I gathered, but I was assuming that it had special functions and all, what with you being a lifeguard.”

Grantaire shrugs. “It’s an ocean lover’s watch, I guess. Waterproofed for practical reasons, and I’m pretty sure it has a depth and pressure gauge for diving purposes, but it’s not like I do that much with my summer job.” He takes it off so Enjolras could see. Enjolras takes it in his hands carefully, examining it. How he looks passionate and fiery while holding a goddamned wristwatch is beyond Grantaire’s comprehension, though.

“It’s nice.” Enjolras finally says, and Grantaire laughs as he holds out a hand to take it back.

“It’s not. It’s old and battered and frankly should be thrown away, but I can’t afford another one and waterproof watches are pretty damn expensive, you know?” Grantaire responds as he puts it back on. “Well, it was absolutely brilliant getting to know you guys, but my shift ended like three hours ago and my friend’s shift will have ended by now, so if you’ll excuse me?”

Combeferre smiles warmly, if not a little apologetic. “Of course, Grantaire. We’re sorry to have taken so much of your time. It was fascinating to meet you.”

Courfeyrac is a little more exuberant in his goodbyes, but that just seems to be a general thing from what Grantaire’s seen so far. “I have a lifeguard friend now! Oh, just wait until Bahorel hears that, or Feuilly. They’ll be so jealous, you know?”

“There’s nothing so special about lifeguard friends, but if you’ll be bragging about me, be so considerate as to add a bit more muscle to my description.” Grantaire winks as he shakes Courfeyrac’s hand. He gets a bell-like clear laughter in response.

“Kind sir, if I had, they’ll be terrified of your image! I think just talking about you as it is would be more than enough for their imaginations to handle.” Grantaire snorts, and turns to Enjolras for the last goodbye.

“Nice meeting you, Apollo. If I have to save you again, try not to make me drown, will you?”

He gets a blush for that, but when Enjolras speaks, it’s as clear and sure of himself as ever. “I’ll try and make it so that you don’t have to save me again. I’m sure I can get over this.”

“Ah, Apollo. If one were capable of getting over fears by determination only, I would be certain that you’d have no walls of fears, only stepping stones to overcome.”

“Don’t sweat it, Grantaire. There’s a reason why we’ve brought him to the beach of all places when we know he’s terrified of water.” Combeferre chips in.

“You know, when I get over this stupid issue by the time we’re finished with our vacation, you’ll all be eating your words.” Enjolras grumbles.

Another fit of laughing starts at that, but soon it becomes late enough that Grantaire can’t stall any more, Jehan’s waiting for him by the car. He says his goodbyes to the trio, and leaves the first aid tent into a beautiful sunset. He’s stuck staring at the sun, capturing the beauty of it so that he could transfer it into paint later, when he’s struck with a sudden revelation.

He takes his phone out, typing out a quick text to Jehan.

_I think I’m in love. –R  
Sent 7:48pm_

_Should I be touched at your declaration of affection or am I taking you out to drinks? xxxx –JP  
Received 7:50pm_

_See you in the Corinthe in fifteen. I'll bring Ep. –R  
Sent 7:51pm_

_!!!!!!!!! xxxxxx –JP  
Received 7:53pm_

Grantaire loves his job. And his friends.


End file.
